CXAI 8-K
CXApp Inc. (CXAI)
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM
CURRENT REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)
OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event
reported):
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) |
(Commission File Number) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
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| (Address of principal executive offices) | (Zip Code) |
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
| Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) |
| Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) |
| Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) |
| Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) |
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
| Title of each class | Trading Symbol(s) | Name of each exchange on which registered | ||
| The Stock Market LLC | ||||
| The |
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).
Emerging growth company
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check
mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting
standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.
| Item 5.03 | Amendments to Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws; Change in Fiscal Year. |
On August 4, 2025, the Board of Directors of CXApp Inc. (the “Company”) approved, and the Company filed with the Delaware Secretary of State, a Certificate of Validation (the “Certificate”) pursuant to Section 204 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (“DGCL”). The Certificate ratifies and validates the Company’s Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Second A&R Charter”), which had been duly adopted by the Company’s stockholders but, due to a clerical omission, was not filed with the Delaware Secretary of State on March 14, 2023. The Company’s stockholders had previously approved the Second A&R Charter at the special meeting reported in the Company’s Form 8-K filed March 10, 2023.
Under DGCL Section 204, the Certificate deems the Second A&R Charter to have become effective as of 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on March 14, 2023. As a result, all corporate actions taken by the Company in reliance on the Second A&R Charter since that date, including the issuance of shares of Class C Common Stock, are retroactively validated and are no longer void or voidable by reason of the prior failure to file.
The foregoing description of the Certificate and the Second A&R Charter does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the Certificate and the Second A&R Charter, which are filed herewith as Exhibit 3.1 and Exhibit 3.2, respectively, and incorporated herein by reference.
The Certificate has been filed, but not yet approved by the Delaware Secretary of State. There is no guarantee that the Certificate will be approved. In the event that Company is required by the Delaware Secretary of State to amend the Certificate, or is required to include any additional document, an amendment to this Current Report on Form 8-K will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) disclosing such amendment as applicable.
| Item 8.01 | Other Events. |
Stockholder Notice.
Pursuant to Section 204(g) of the DGCL, the Company is required to send all of our current stockholders and stockholders as of the day of the defective corporate act, the resolutions adopted by the Board ratifying the defective corporate act within sixty (60) days of such resolutions, which occurred on August 4, 2025 (the “Notice”). Section 204(g) of the DGCL authorizes the Company, as a company with a class of stock listed on a national securities exchange, to provide such Notice in a document publicly filed by the Company with the SEC pursuant to §13, §14 or §15(d) (15 U.S.C. §78m, §77n or §78o(d)) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, or the corresponding provisions of any subsequent United States federal securities laws, rules or regulations.
Accordingly, a copy of the Notice is attached to this Current Report on Form 8-K as Exhibit 99.1 and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This communication contains “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, without limitation, statements related to the approval of the Certificate, and other statements that are not historical facts. Any statements contained in this communication that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words referencing future events or circumstances such as “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “will,” and similar expressions and their variants. These forward-looking statements are based upon the Company’s current expectations. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties. The Company’s actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of these risks and uncertainties, which include, without limitation, risks relating to the approval of the Certificate filed with the Delaware Secretary of State.
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| Item 9.01 | Financial Statements and Exhibits. |
(d) Exhibits
| Exhibit No. | Description | |
| 3.1 | Certificate of Validation, filed with the Delaware Secretary of State on August 4, 2025 | |
| 3.2 | Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation | |
| 99.1 | Stockholder Notice, dated August 4, 2025 | |
| 104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document) |
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SIGNATURE
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
| CXApp Inc. | |||
| Date: August 4, 2025 | By: | /s/ Khurram P. Sheikh | |
| Name: | Khurram P. Sheikh | ||
| Title: | Chairman and Chief Executive Officer | ||
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Exhibit 3.1
CERTIFICATE OF VALIDATION
OF
CXAPP INC.
Pursuant to Section 204 of the
General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware
(“DGCL”)
CXApp Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “Corporation”), certifies as follows:
| FIRST: | The Corporation has ratified the defective corporate act consisting of the clerical failure to file the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation with the Delaware Secretary of State on March 14, 2023, as required by Section 103 of the DGCL (the “Defective Corporate Act”). |
| SECOND: | The Defective Corporate Act has been ratified by the Corporation and its board of directors in accordance with Section 204 of the DGCL. |
| THIRD: | A Certificate of the Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation of KINS Technology Group Inc. (the “Ratified Certificate”) containing all of the information required to be included under Sections 242 and 245 of the DGCL to give effect to the Defective Corporate Act is attached as Exhibit A to this certificate of validation. |
| The Ratified Certificate shall be deemed to have become effective at 5:00 p.m. on March 14, 2023. |
| FOURTH: | This certificate of validation shall be effective at 5:00 p.m. on this 4th day of August, 2025. |
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Corporation has caused this certificate of validation to be executed by its duly authorized officer as of this 4th day of August, 2025.
| CXAPP INC. | |||
| By: | /s/ Khurram P. Sheikh | ||
| Name: | Khurram P. Sheikh | ||
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | ||
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Exhibit A
Certificate of
Second Amended and Restated
Certificate of Incorporation of
KINS Technology Group Inc.
A-1
Exhibit 3.2
SECOND AMENDED AND RESTATED
CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION
OF
KINS TECHNOLOGY GROUP INC.
KINS Technology Group Inc., a corporation organized and existing under the laws of the State of Delaware (the “Corporation”), DOES HEREBY CERTIFY AS FOLLOWS:
1. The name of the Corporation is “KINS Technology Group Inc.” The original certificate of incorporation was filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on July 20, 2020 (the “Original Certificate”). The Corporation amended and restated the Original Certificate, which was filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on December 14, 2020, as amended on December 14, 2022 (as so amended, the “First Amended and Restated Certificate”).
2. This Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Second Amended and Restated Certificate”), which both restates and amends the provisions of the First Amended and Restated Certificate, was duly adopted in accordance with Sections 228, 242 and 245 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware, as amended from time to time (the “DGCL”).
3. This Second Amended and Restated Certificate shall become effective on the date of filing with the Secretary of State of Delaware.
4. Certain capitalized terms used in this Second Amended and Restated Certificate are defined where appropriate herein.
5. The text of the First Amended and Restated Certificate is hereby restated and amended in its entirety to read as follows:
ARTICLE I
The name of the corporation is KINS Technology Group Inc. (the “Corporation”).
ARTICLE II
The address of the Corporation’s registered office in the State of Delaware is 251 Little Falls Drive, in the City of Wilmington, County of New Castle, State of Delaware, 19808, and the name of the Corporation’s registered agent at such address is Corporation Service Company.
ARTICLE III
The purpose of the Corporation is to engage in any lawful act or activity for which corporations may be organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the “DGCL”) as it now exists or may hereafter be amended and supplemented.
ARTICLE IV
The total number of shares of capital stock that the Corporation shall have authority to issue is 212,000,000 shares, consisting of: 200,000,000 shares of common stock, having a par value of $0.0001 per share, including (i) 200,000,000 shares of Class A common stock (the “Class A Common Stock”) and (ii) 10,000,000 shares of Class C common stock (the “Class C Common Stock”, and together with the Class A Common Stock, the “Common Stock”); and (iii) 2,000,000 shares of preferred stock, having a par value of $0.0001 per share (the “Preferred Stock”).
ARTICLE V
The designations and the powers, privileges and rights, and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof in respect of each class of capital stock of the Corporation are as follows:
A. COMMON STOCK
1. General. The voting, dividend, liquidation and other rights and powers of the Common Stock are subject to and qualified by the rights, powers and preferences of any series of Preferred Stock as may be designated by the Board of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board of Directors”) and outstanding from time to time. Except as otherwise expressly provided in this Second Amended and Restated Certificate or required by applicable law, shares of Class A Common Stock and Class C Common Stock shall have the same rights and powers, share ratably and be identical in all respects as to all matters.
2. Voting. Except as otherwise provided herein or expressly required by law, each holder of Class A Common Stock and each holder of Class C Common Stock will vote together as a single class and not as separate series or classes, and shall be entitled to vote on each matter submitted to a vote of stockholders and shall be entitled to one (1) vote for each share of Common Stock held of record by such holder as of the record date for determining stockholders entitled to vote on such matter. Except as otherwise required by law, holders of Common Stock, as such, shall not be entitled to vote on any amendment to this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation (as defined below)) that relates solely to the rights, powers, preferences (or the qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof) or other terms of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock if the holders of such affected series are entitled, either separately or together with the holders of one or more other such series, to vote thereon pursuant to this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation) or pursuant to the DGCL.
Subject to the rights of any holders of any outstanding series of Preferred Stock, the number of authorized shares of Class A Common Stock, Class C Common Stock or the Preferred Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares of the Class A Common Stock, the Class C Common Stock or the Preferred Stock, as the case may be, then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the stock of the Corporation entitled to vote, irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the DGCL.
Except as otherwise required in this Certificate of Incorporation or by applicable law, if any holders of Preferred Stock are entitled to vote together with the holders of Common Stock, such holders of Preferred Stock shall vote together with the holders of Common Stock as a single class.
3. Dividends. Subject to applicable law and the rights and preferences of any holders of any outstanding series of Preferred Stock, the holders of Common Stock, as such, shall be entitled to the payment of dividends on the Common Stock when, as and if declared by the Board of Directors in accordance with applicable law.
4. Liquidation. Subject to the rights and preferences of any holders of any shares of any outstanding series of Preferred Stock, in the event of any liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Corporation, whether voluntary or involuntary, the funds and assets of the Corporation that may be legally distributed to the Corporation’s stockholders shall be distributed among the holders of the then outstanding Common Stock pro rata in accordance with the number of shares of Common Stock held by each such holder.
5. Merger, Consolidation, Tender or Exchange Offer. All shares of Common Stock shall, as among each other, have the same rights and privileges and rank equally, share ratably and be identical in all respects as to all matters. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, (1) in the event of a merger, consolidation or other business combination requiring the approval of the holders of the Corporation’s capital stock entitled to vote thereon (whether or not the Corporation is the surviving entity), the holders of Common Stock shall receive the same form of consideration, if any, and at least the same amount of consideration, if any, on a per share basis, and (2) in the event of (a) any tender or exchange offer to acquire any shares of Common Stock by any third party pursuant to an agreement to which the Corporation is a party or (b) any tender or exchange offer by the Corporation to acquire any shares of Common Stock, pursuant to the terms of the applicable tender or exchange offer, the holders of Common Stock shall be entitled to receive the same form of consideration, if any, and at least the same amount of consideration, if any, on a per share basis.
6. Transfer Rights. Subject to applicable law and the transfer restrictions on the Class C Common Stock set forth in Article VII of the bylaws of the Corporation (as such bylaws may be amended from time to time, the “Bylaws”), shares of Common Stock and the rights and obligations associated therewith shall be fully transferable to any transferee.
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7. Class C Common Stock. Each share of Class C Common Stock will automatically convert into one fully paid and nonassessable share of Class A Common Stock on (i) the date that is 180 days after the date of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate; (ii) the date on which the Corporation completes a liquidation, merger, stock exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of stockholders of the Corporation having the right to exchange their common of the Corporation for cash, securities or other property; or (iii) if the last reported sale price of the Class A Common Stock of the Corporation equals or exceeds $12.00 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing after the date of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate. Upon any conversion of Class C Common Stock to Class A Common Stock in accordance with this Second Amended and Restated Certificate, all rights of the holder of Class C Common Stock shall cease and the person or persons in whose names or names the certificate or certificates representing the shares of Class A Common Stock are to be issued shall be treated for all purposes as having become the record holder or holders of such shares of Class A Common Stock. The Corporation will at all times reserve and keep available out of its authorized but unissued shares of Class A Common Stock, solely for the purpose of effecting the conversion of the shares of the Class C Common Stock, such number of its shares of Class A Common Stock as shall from time to time be sufficient to effect the conversion of all outstanding shares of Class C Common Stock; and if at any time the number of authorized but unissued shares of Class A Common Stock will not be sufficient to effect the conversion of all then-outstanding shares of Class C Common Stock, the Corporation will take such corporate action as may be necessary to increase its authorized but unissued shares of Class A Common Stock to such number of shares as will be sufficient for such purpose. No share or shares of Class C Common Stock acquired by the Corporation by reason of redemption, purchase, conversion or otherwise shall be reissued, and all such shares shall be cancelled, retired and eliminated from the shares that the Corporation shall be authorized to issue. In addition to the foregoing, the Board of Directors shall be permitted to convert all or any portion of the outstanding Class C Common Stock (pro rata as near as reasonably practical for each beneficial owner as of a date determined by the Board of Directors and rounded down to the nearest whole share) for any reason, including in connection with any regulatory or stock exchange listing requirement.
B. PREFERRED STOCK
Shares of Preferred Stock may be issued from time to time in one or more series, each of such series to have such terms as stated or expressed herein and in the resolution or resolutions providing for the creation and issuance of such series adopted by the Board of Directors as hereinafter provided.
Authority is hereby expressly granted to the Board of Directors from time to time to issue the Preferred Stock in one or more series, and in connection with the creation of any such series, by adopting a resolution or resolutions providing for the issuance of the shares thereof and by filing a certificate of designation relating thereto in accordance with the DGCL (a “Certificate of Designation”), to determine and fix the number of shares of such series and such voting powers, full or limited, or no voting powers, and such designations, preferences and relative participating, optional or other special rights, and qualifications, limitations or restrictions thereof, including without limitation thereof, dividend rights, conversion rights, redemption privileges and liquidation preferences, and to increase or decrease (but not below the number of shares of such series then outstanding) the number of shares of any series as shall be stated and expressed in such resolutions, all to the fullest extent now or hereafter permitted by the DGCL. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the resolution or resolutions providing for the creation and issuance of any series of Preferred Stock may provide that such series shall be superior or rank equally or be junior to any other series of Preferred Stock to the extent permitted by law and this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation). Except as otherwise required by law, holders of any series of Preferred Stock shall be entitled only to such voting rights, if any, as shall expressly be granted thereto by this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation).
The number of authorized shares of Preferred Stock may be increased or decreased (but not below the number of shares thereof then outstanding) by the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the stock of the Corporation entitled to vote, irrespective of the provisions of Section 242(b)(2) of the DGCL.
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ARTICLE VI
For the management of the business and for the conduct of the affairs of the Corporation it is further provided that:
A. Subject to the rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, the Board of Directors shall be divided into three classes, as nearly equal in number as possible, and designated Class I, Class II and Class III. The Board of Directors is authorized to assign members of the Board of Directors already in office to Class I, Class II or Class III. Subject to the rights of holders of any series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, each director shall serve for a term ending on the date of the third annual meeting of stockholders following the annual meeting of stockholders at which such director was elected; provided that each director initially assigned to Class I shall serve for a term expiring at the Corporation’s first annual meeting of stockholders held after the effectiveness of this Certificate of Incorporation; each director initially assigned to Class II shall serve for a term expiring at the Corporation’s second annual meeting of stockholders held after the effectiveness of this Certificate of Incorporation; and each director initially assigned to Class III shall serve for a term expiring at the Corporation’s third annual meeting of stockholders held after the effectiveness of this Certificate of Incorporation; provided further, that the term of each director shall continue until the election and qualification of his or her successor and be subject to his or her earlier death, disqualification, resignation or removal.
B. Except as otherwise expressly provided by the DGCL or this Certificate of Incorporation, the business and affairs of the Corporation shall be managed by or under the direction of the Board of Directors. The number of directors that shall constitute the whole Board of Directors shall be fixed exclusively by one or more resolutions adopted from time to time by the Board of Directors in accordance with the Bylaws.
C. Subject to the special rights of the holders of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, the Board of Directors or any individual director may be removed from office at any time, but only for cause, and only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least a majority of the voting power of all of the then outstanding shares of voting stock of the Corporation entitled to vote at an election of directors.
D. Subject to the special rights of the holders of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock to elect directors, except as otherwise provided by law, any vacancies on the Board of Directors resulting from death, resignation, disqualification, retirement, removal or other causes and any newly created directorships resulting from any increase in the number of directors shall be filled exclusively by the affirmative vote of a majority of the directors then in office, even though less than a quorum, or by a sole remaining director (other than any directors elected by the separate vote of one or more outstanding series of Preferred Stock), and shall not be filled by the stockholders. Any director appointed in accordance with the preceding sentence shall hold office until the expiration of the term or until his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement, disqualification, or removal.
E. Whenever the holders of any one or more series of Preferred Stock issued by the Corporation shall have the right, voting separately as a series or separately as a class with one or more such other series, to elect directors at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, the election, term of office, removal and other features of such directorships shall be governed by the terms of this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation). Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Article VI, the number of directors that may be elected by the holders of any such series of Preferred Stock shall be in addition to the number fixed pursuant to paragraph B of this Article VI, and the total number of directors constituting the whole Board of Directors shall be automatically adjusted accordingly. Except as otherwise provided in the Certificate of Designation(s) in respect of one or more series of Preferred Stock, whenever the holders of any series of Preferred Stock having such right to elect additional directors are divested of such right pursuant to the provisions of such Certificate of Designation(s), the terms of office of all such additional directors elected by the holders of such series of Preferred Stock, or elected to fill any vacancies resulting from the death, resignation, disqualification or removal of such additional directors, shall forthwith terminate (in which case each such director thereupon shall cease to be qualified as, and shall cease to be, a director) and the total authorized number of directors of the Corporation shall automatically be reduced accordingly.
F. In furtherance and not in limitation of the powers conferred by statute, the Board of Directors is expressly authorized to adopt, amend or repeal the Bylaws, subject to the power of the stockholders of the Corporation entitled to vote with respect thereto to adopt, amend or repeal the Bylaws. The stockholders of the Corporation shall also have the power to adopt, amend or repeal the Bylaws; provided, that in addition to any vote of the holders of any class or series of stock of the Corporation required by applicable law or by this Certificate of Incorporation (including any Certificate of Designation in respect of one or more series of Preferred Stock) or the Bylaws of the Corporation, the adoption, amendment or repeal of the Bylaws of the Corporation by the stockholders of the Corporation shall require the affirmative vote of the holders of at least two-thirds (66 and 2/3%) of the voting power of all of the then outstanding shares of voting stock of the Corporation entitled to vote generally in an election of directors.
G. The directors of the Corporation need not be elected by written ballot unless the Bylaws so provide.
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ARTICLE VII
A. Subject to the rights, if any, of the holders of any outstanding series of the Preferred Stock, and to the requirements of applicable law, special meetings of stockholders of the Corporation may be called only by the Chairman of the Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation, or the Board of Directors pursuant to a resolution adopted by a majority of the Board of the Directors, and, except to the extent otherwise provided in the Bylaws, the ability of any other person or persons, including the stockholders, to call a special meeting is hereby specifically denied. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any action required or permitted to be taken by the holders of any series of Preferred Stock, voting separately as a series or separately as a class with one or more other such series, may be taken without a meeting, without prior notice and without a vote, to the extent expressly so provided by the applicable Certificate of Designation relating to such series of Preferred Stock, if a consent or consents in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by the holders of outstanding shares of the relevant series of Preferred Stock having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting at which all shares entitled to vote thereon were present and voted and shall be delivered to the Corporation in accordance with the applicable provisions of the DGCL.
B. Subject to the special rights of the holders of one or more series of Preferred Stock, and to the requirements of applicable law, special meetings of the stockholders of the Corporation may be called for any purpose or purposes, at any time only by or at the direction of the Board of Directors, the Chairperson of the Board of Directors or the Chief Executive Officer, in each case, in accordance with the Bylaws, and shall not be called by any other person or persons. Any such special meeting so called may be postponed, rescheduled or cancelled by the Board of Directors or other person calling the meeting.
C. Advance notice of stockholder nominations for the election of directors and of other business proposed to be brought by stockholders before any meeting of the stockholders of the Corporation shall be given in the manner provided in the Bylaws. Any business transacted at any special meeting of stockholders shall be limited to matters relating to the purpose or purposes identified in the notice of meeting.
ARTICLE VIII
No director of the Corporation shall have any personal liability to the Corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for any breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except to the extent such exemption from liability or limitation thereof is not permitted under the DGCL as the same exists or hereafter may be amended. Any amendment, repeal or modification of this Article VIII, or the adoption of any provision of the Certificate of Incorporation of the Corporation inconsistent with this Article VIII, shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a director of the Corporation with respect to any act or omission occurring prior to such amendment, repeal, modification or adoption. If the DGCL is amended after approval by the stockholders of this Article VIII to authorize corporate action further eliminating or limiting the personal liability of directors, then the liability of a director of the Corporation shall be eliminated or limited to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL as so amended.
ARTICLE IX
A. The Corporation hereby expressly elects not to be governed by Section 203 of the DGCL, and instead the provisions of Article IX(B)-(D) below shall apply, for so long as the Corporation’s Common Stock is registered under Section 12(b) or 12(g) of the Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”).
B. The Corporation shall not engage in any business combination with any interested stockholder (as defined below) for a period of three (3) years following the time that such stockholder became an interested stockholder, unless:
(1) prior to such time, the Board of Directors approved either the business combination or the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder;
(2) upon consummation of the transaction that resulted in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder, the interested stockholder owned at least eighty five percent (85%) of the voting stock (as defined below) of the Corporation outstanding at the time the transaction commenced, excluding for purposes of determining the voting stock outstanding (but not the outstanding voting stock owned by the interested stockholder) those shares owned by (i) persons who are directors and also officers and (ii) employee stock plans in which employee participants do not have the right to determine confidentially whether shares held subject to the plan will be tendered in a tender or exchange offer; or
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(3) at or subsequent to such time, the business combination is approved by the Board of Directors and authorized at an annual or special meeting of stockholders, and not by written consent, by the affirmative vote of at least sixty six and two-thirds percent (66 and 2/3%) of the outstanding voting stock of the Corporation which is not owned by the interested stockholder.
C. The restrictions contained in the foregoing Article IX(B) shall not apply if:
(1) a stockholder becomes an interested stockholder inadvertently and (i) as soon as practicable divests itself of ownership of sufficient shares so that the stockholder ceases to be an interested stockholder and (ii) would not, at any time, within the three-year period immediately prior to the business combination between the Corporation and such stockholder, have been an interested stockholder but for the inadvertent acquisition of ownership; or
(2) the business combination is proposed prior to the consummation or abandonment of and subsequent to the earlier of the public announcement or the notice required hereunder of a proposed transaction which (i) constitutes one of the transactions described in the second sentence of this Article IX(C)(2), (ii) is with or by a person who either was not an interested stockholder during the previous three (3) years or who became an interested stockholder with the approval of the Board of Directors and (iii) is approved by a majority of the directors then in office (but not less than one) who were directors prior to any person becoming an interested stockholder during the previous three (3) years or were recommended for election or elected to succeed such directors by a majority of such directors. The proposed transactions referred to in the preceding sentence are limited to (x) a merger or consolidation of the Corporation (except for a merger in respect of which, pursuant to Section 251(f) of the DGCL, no vote of the stockholders of the Corporation is required), (y) a sale, lease, exchange, mortgage, whether as part of a dissolution or otherwise, of assets of the Corporation or of any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation (other than to any direct or indirect wholly owned subsidiary or to the Corporation) having an aggregate market value equal to fifty percent (50%) or more of either that aggregate market value of all the assets of the Corporation determined on a consolidated basis or the aggregate market value of all the outstanding stock of the Corporation or (z) a proposed tender or exchange offer for fifty percent (50%) or more of the outstanding voting stock of the Corporation. The Corporation shall give not less than twenty (20) days’ notice to all interested stockholders prior to the consummation of any of the transactions described in clause (x) or (y) of the second sentence of this Article IX(C)(2).
D. For purposes of this Article IX, references to:
(1) “affiliate” means a person that directly, or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, or is controlled by, or is under common control with, another person.
(2) “associate,” when used to indicate a relationship with any person, means: (i) any corporation, partnership, unincorporated association or other entity of which such person is a director, officer or partner or is, directly or indirectly, the owner of twenty percent (20%) or more of the voting power thereof; (ii) any trust or other estate in which such person has at least a twenty percent (20%) beneficial interest or as to which such person serves as trustee or in a similar fiduciary capacity; and (iii) any relative or spouse of such person, or any relative of such spouse, who has the same residence as such person.
(3) “business combination,” when used in reference to the Corporation and any interested stockholder of the Corporation, means:
a. any merger or consolidation of the Corporation or any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation (a) with the interested stockholder, or (b) with any other corporation, partnership, unincorporated association or other entity if the merger or consolidation is caused by the interested stockholder and as a result of such merger or consolidation subsection (B) of this Article IX is not applicable to the surviving entity;
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b. any sale, lease, exchange, mortgage, pledge, transfer or other disposition (in one transaction or a series of transactions), except proportionately as a stockholder of the Corporation, to or with the interested stockholder, whether as part of a dissolution or otherwise, of assets of the Corporation or of any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation which assets have an aggregate market value equal to ten percent (10%) or more of either the aggregate market value of all the assets of the Corporation determined on a consolidated basis or the aggregate market value of all the outstanding stock of the Corporation;
c. any transaction which results in the issuance or transfer by the Corporation or by any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation of any stock of the Corporation or of such subsidiary to the interested stockholder, except: (i) pursuant to the exercise, exchange or conversion of securities exercisable for, exchangeable for or convertible into stock of the Corporation or any such subsidiary which securities were outstanding prior to the time that the interested stockholder became such; (ii) pursuant to a merger under Section 251(g) of the DGCL; (iii) pursuant to a dividend or distribution paid or made, or the exercise, exchange or conversion of securities exercisable for, exchangeable for or convertible into stock of the Corporation or any such subsidiary which security is distributed, pro rata to all holders of a class or series of stock of the Corporation subsequent to the time the interested stockholder became such; (iv) pursuant to an exchange offer by the Corporation to purchase stock made on the same terms to all holders of said stock; or (v) any issuance or transfer of stock by the Corporation; provided, however, that in no case under items (iii) through (v) of this subsection shall there be an increase in the interested stockholder’s proportionate share of the stock of any class or series of the Corporation or of the voting stock of the Corporation (except as a result of immaterial changes due to fractional share adjustments);
d. any transaction involving the Corporation or any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation which has the effect, directly or indirectly, of increasing the proportionate share of the stock of any class or series, or securities convertible into the stock of any class or series, of the Corporation or of any such subsidiary which is owned by the interested stockholder, except as a result of immaterial changes due to fractional share adjustments or as a result of any purchase or redemption of any shares of stock not caused, directly or indirectly, by the interested stockholder; or
e. any receipt by the interested stockholder of the benefit, directly or indirectly (except proportionately as a stockholder of the Corporation), of any loans, advances, guarantees, pledges, or other financial benefits (other than those expressly permitted in subsections (a) through (d) above) provided by or through the Corporation or any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary.
(4) “control,” including the terms “controlling,” “controlled by” and “under common control with,” means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a person, whether through the ownership of voting stock, by contract, or otherwise. A person who is the owner of twenty percent (20%) or more of the outstanding voting stock of a corporation, partnership, unincorporated association or other entity shall be presumed to have control of such entity, in the absence of proof by a preponderance of the evidence to the contrary. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a presumption of control shall not apply where such person holds voting stock, in good faith and not for the purpose of circumventing this subsection (D) of Article IX, as an agent, bank, broker, nominee, custodian or trustee for one or more owners who do not individually or as a group have control of such entity.
(5) “interested stockholder” means any person (other than the Corporation or any direct or indirect majority-owned subsidiary of the Corporation) that (i) is the owner of fifteen percent (15%) or more of the outstanding voting stock of the Corporation, or (ii) is an affiliate or associate of the Corporation and was the owner of fifteen percent (15%) or more of the outstanding voting stock of the Corporation at any time within the three year period immediately prior to the date on which it is sought to be determined whether such person is an interested stockholder; and the affiliates and associates of such person; but “interested stockholder” shall not include (a) any Stockholder Party, any Stockholder Party Direct Transferee, any Stockholder Party Indirect Transferee or any of their respective affiliates or successors or any “group,” or any member of any such group, to which such persons are a party under Rule 13d-5 of the Exchange Act, or (b) any person whose ownership of shares in excess of the fifteen percent (15%) limitation set forth herein is the result of any action taken solely by the Corporation; provided, further, that in the case of clause (b) such person shall be an interested stockholder if thereafter such person acquires additional shares of voting stock of the Corporation, except as a result of further corporate action not caused, directly or indirectly, by such person. For the purpose of determining whether a person is an interested stockholder, the voting stock of the Corporation deemed to be outstanding shall include stock deemed to be owned by the person through application of the definition of “owner” below.
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(6) “owner,” including the terms “own” and “owned,” when used with respect to any stock, means a person that individually or with or through any of its affiliates or associates:
a. beneficially owns such stock, directly or indirectly;
b. has (i) the right to acquire such stock (whether such right is exercisable immediately or only after the passage of time) pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding, or upon the exercise of conversion rights, exchange rights, warrants or options, or otherwise; provided, however, that a person shall not be deemed the owner of stock tendered pursuant to a tender or exchange offer made by such person or any of such person’s affiliates or associates until such tendered stock is accepted for purchase or exchange; or (ii) the right to vote such stock pursuant to any agreement, arrangement or understanding; provided, however, that a person shall not be deemed the owner of any stock because of such person’s right to vote such stock if the agreement, arrangement or understanding to vote such stock arises solely from a revocable proxy or consent given in response to a proxy or consent solicitation made to 10 or more persons; or
c. has any agreement, arrangement or understanding for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting (except voting pursuant to a revocable proxy or consent as described in item (ii) of subsection (b) above), or disposing of such stock with any other person that beneficially owns, or whose affiliates or associates beneficially own, directly or indirectly, such stock.
(7) “person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, unincorporated association or other entity.
(8) “stock” means, with respect to any corporation, capital stock and, with respect to any other entity, any equity interest.
(9) “Stockholder Party Direct Transferee” means any person that acquires (other than in a registered public offering) directly from any Stockholder Party or any of its successors or any “group,” or any member of any such group, of which such persons are a party under Rule 13d-5 of the Exchange Act beneficial ownership of fifteen percent (15%) or more of the then outstanding voting stock of the Corporation.
(10) “Stockholder Party Indirect Transferee” means any person that acquires (other than in a registered public offering) directly from any Stockholder Party Direct Transferee or any other Stockholder Party Indirect Transferee beneficial ownership of fifteen percent (15%) or more of the then outstanding voting stock of the Corporation.
(11) “voting stock” means stock of any class or series entitled to vote generally in the election of directors and, with respect to any entity that is not a corporation, any equity interest entitled to vote generally in the election of the governing body of such entity. Every reference to a percentage of voting stock shall be calculated on the basis of the aggregate number of votes applicable to all shares of such voting stock, and by allocating to each share of voting stock, that number of votes to which such share is entitled.
ARTICLE X
A. The Corporation shall indemnify its directors and officers to the fullest extent authorized or permitted by applicable law, as now or hereafter in effect, and such right to indemnification shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a director or officer of the Corporation and shall inure to the benefit of his or her heirs, executors and personal and legal representatives; provided, however, that, except for proceedings to enforce rights to indemnification, the Corporation shall not be obligated to indemnify any director or officer (or his or her heirs, executors or personal or legal representatives) in connection with a proceeding (or part thereof) initiated by such person unless such proceeding (or part thereof) was authorized or consented to by the Board of Directors. The right to indemnification conferred by this Article X shall include the right to be paid by the Corporation the expenses incurred in defending or otherwise participating in any proceeding in advance of its final disposition upon receipt by the Corporation of an undertaking by or on behalf of the director or officer receiving advancement to repay the amount advanced if it shall ultimately be determined that such person is not entitled to be indemnified by the Corporation under this Article X. The Corporation may, to the extent authorized from time to time by the Board of Directors, provide rights to indemnification and to the advancement of expenses to employees and agents of the Corporation similar to those conferred in this Article X to directors and officers of the Corporation. The rights to indemnification and to the advancement of expenses conferred in this Article X shall not be exclusive of any other right which any person may have or hereafter acquire under this Certificate of Incorporation, the Bylaws, any statute, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise. Any repeal or modification of this Article X by the stockholders of the Corporation shall not adversely affect any rights to indemnification and to the advancement of expenses of a director, officer, employee or agent of the Corporation (collectively, the “Covered Persons”) existing at the time of such repeal or modification with respect to any acts or omissions occurring prior to such repeal or modification.
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B. The Corporation hereby acknowledges that certain Covered Persons may have rights to indemnification and advancement of expenses (directly or through insurance obtained by any such entity) provided by one or more third parties (collectively, the “Other Indemnitors”), and which may include third parties for whom such Covered Person serves as a manager, member, officer, employee or agent. The Corporation hereby agrees and acknowledges that notwithstanding any such rights that a Covered Person may have with respect to any Other Indemnitor(s), (i) the Corporation is the indemnitor of first resort with respect to all Covered Persons and all obligations to indemnify and provide advancement of expenses to Covered Persons, (ii) the Corporation shall be required to indemnify and advance the full amount of expenses incurred by the Covered Persons, to the fullest extent required by law, the terms of this Certificate of Incorporation, the Bylaws, any agreement to which the Corporation is a party, any vote of the stockholders or the Board of Directors, or otherwise, without regard to any rights the Covered Persons may have against the Other Indemnitors and (iii) to the fullest extent permitted by law, the Corporation irrevocably waives, relinquishes and releases the Other Indemnitors from any and all claims for contribution, subrogation or any other recovery of any kind in respect thereof. The Corporation further agrees that no advancement or payment by the Other Indemnitors with respect to any claim for which the Covered Persons have sought indemnification from the Corporation shall affect the foregoing and the Other Indemnitors shall have a right of contribution and/or be subrogated to the extent of any such advancement or payment to all of the rights of recovery of the Covered Persons against the Corporation. These rights shall be a contract right, and the Other Indemnitors are express third party beneficiaries of the terms of this paragraph. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, the obligations of the Corporation under this paragraph shall only apply to Covered Persons in their capacity as Covered Persons.
ARTICLE XI
A. Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery (the “Chancery Court”) of the State of Delaware (or, in the event that the Chancery Court does not have jurisdiction, the federal district court for the District of Delaware or other state courts of the State of Delaware) and any appellate court thereof shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action, suit or proceeding (“Proceeding”) brought on behalf of the Corporation, (ii) any Proceeding asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer or stockholder of the Corporation to the Corporation or to the Corporation’s stockholders, (iii) any Proceeding arising pursuant to any provision of the DGCL or the Bylaws or this Certificate of Incorporation (as either may be amended from time to time), (iv) any Proceeding as to which the DGCL confers jurisdiction on the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware, or (v) any Proceeding asserting a claim against the Corporation or any current or former director, officer or stockholder governed by the internal affairs doctrine. If any action the subject matter of which is within the scope of the immediately preceding sentence is filed in a court other than the courts in the State of Delaware (a “Foreign Action”) in the name of any stockholder, such stockholder shall be deemed to have consented to (a) the personal jurisdiction of the state and federal courts in the State of Delaware in connection with any action brought in any such court to enforce the provisions of the immediately preceding sentence and (b) having service of process made upon such stockholder in any such action by service upon such stockholder’s counsel in the Foreign Action as agent for such stockholder. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the provisions of this Article XI(A) shall not apply to suits brought to enforce any liability or duty created by the Securities Act, the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the federal courts of the United States have exclusive jurisdiction.
B. Unless the Corporation consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the federal district courts of the United States of America shall be the exclusive forum for the resolution of any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the Securities Act.
C. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in any security of the Corporation shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to this Article XI.
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ARTICLE XII
The doctrine of corporate opportunity, or any other analogous doctrine, shall not apply with respect to the Corporation or any of its officers or directors in circumstances where the application of any such doctrine would conflict with any fiduciary duties or contractual obligations they may have as of the date of this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or in the future. In addition to the foregoing, unless the Corporation and a director or officer of the Corporation otherwise agree in writing, the doctrine of corporate opportunity shall not apply to any other corporate opportunity with respect to any of the directors or officers of the Corporation unless such corporate opportunity is offered to such person solely in his or her capacity as a director or officer of the Corporation and such opportunity is one the Corporation is legally and contractually permitted to undertake and would otherwise be reasonable for the Corporation to pursue
ARTICLE XIII
A. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Certificate of Incorporation to the contrary, in addition to any vote required by applicable law, the following provisions in this Certificate of Incorporation may be amended, altered, repealed or rescinded, in whole or in part, or any provision inconsistent therewith or herewith may be adopted, only by the affirmative vote of the holders of at least sixty six and two-thirds percent (66 and 2/3%) of the total voting power of all the then outstanding shares of stock of the Corporation entitled to vote thereon, voting together as a single class: Article V(B), Article VI, Article VII, Article VIII, Article IX, Article X, Article XI and this Article XIII.
B. If any provision or provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation shall be held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable as applied to any circumstance for any reason whatsoever: (i) the validity, legality and enforceability of such provisions in any other circumstance and of the remaining provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation (including, without limitation, each portion of any paragraph of this Certificate of Incorporation containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable that is not itself held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall not, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, in any way be affected or impaired thereby and (ii) to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the provisions of this Certificate of Incorporation (including, without limitation, each such portion of any paragraph of this Certificate of Incorporation containing any such provision held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable) shall be construed so as to permit the Corporation to protect its directors, officers, employees and agents from personal liability in respect of their good faith service to or for the benefit of the Corporation to the fullest extent permitted by law.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation has been executed by a duly authorized officer of this corporation on this 14th day of March, 2023.
|
By: |
/s/ Khurram P. Sheikh | ||
| Name: | Khurram P. Sheikh | ||
| Title: | Chief Executive Officer | ||
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Exhibit 99.1
Stockholder Notice
NOTICE REQUIRED BY SECTION 204(g) OF THE DELAWARE GENERAL CORPORATION LAW
To the Stockholders of CXApp Inc. (“CXApp” or the “Company”):
On March 10, 2023, CXApp’s stockholders approved the Company’s Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Second A&R Charter”) at the special meeting reported in CXApp’s Form 8-K filed the same day. The Second A&R Charter was intended to become effective March 14, 2023, but, due solely to a clerical omission, it was not filed with the Delaware Secretary of State. On August 4, 2025, CXApp’s Board of Directors adopted, by unanimous written consent, resolutions (the “Resolutions”) determining that the failure to file was a “defective corporate act” under Section 204 of the Delaware General Corporation Law (“DGCL”) and ratifying that act.
The Company simultaneously filed with the Delaware Secretary of State a Certificate of Validation (the “Certificate”) that (i) now places the Second A&R Charter on file and (ii) makes it effective as of 5:00 p.m. (Eastern) on March 14, 2023.
As provided in DGCL Section 204(f):
| ● | The Second A&R Charter is deemed to have been validly filed and in full force and effect as of March 14, 2023; and |
| ● | All corporate actions taken in reliance on that charter, including the authorization and issuance of shares of Class C common stock, are validated and no longer void or voidable by reason of the prior failure to file. |
Under DGCL Section 204(g), any claim that the failure to file, or any action taken in reliance on the Second A&R Charter, is void or voidable must be brought in the Delaware Court of Chancery within 120 days of August, 4 2025 (the “Notice Date”). After that deadline, such claims are barred.
In accordance with DGCL Section 204(g), copies of (i) the resolutions of CXApp’s Board of Directors ratifying the failure to file, (ii) Section 204 of the DGCL, and (iii) Section 205 of the DGCL are attached to this notice.
You are not required to take any action in response to this notice. This communication is required by DGCL Section 204(g) and is being provided via the Company’s Form 8-K in accordance with that statute.
| Sincerely, | |
| Khurram P. Sheikh |
| CXApp Inc. | |||
| Date: August 4, 2025 | By: | /s/ Khurram P. Sheikh | |
| Name: | Khurram P. Sheikh | ||
| Title: | Chairman and Chief Executive Officer | ||
ACTION BY UNANIMOUS WRITTEN CONSENT
OF
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OF
CXAPP INC.
August 4, 2025
The undersigned, being all the members of the board of directors (the “Board”) of CXApp Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), acting in accordance with Section 141(f) of the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”), hereby consent in writing to the adoption of the following resolutions, such action to have the same force and effect as a unanimous vote of the Board at a meeting duly called and held:
Ratification of Defective Corporate Act
WHEREAS, on March 10, 2023, the Board and the Company’s stockholders duly adopted and approved the Company’s Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the “Second A&R Charter”), to be effective on March 14, 2023, a copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit A;
WHEREAS, due solely to clerical error, the Second A&R Charter was not filed with the Delaware Secretary of State and such omission constitutes a “defective corporate act” within the meaning of DGCL Section 204 (the “Defective Corporate Act”);
WHEREAS, since March 14, 2023 the Company has taken various corporate actions, including the issuance of shares of Class C Common Stock, in reliance on the Second A&R Charter, and, once the Second A&R Charter is validated as of March 14, 2023 pursuant to DGCL Section 204, all such actions will be automatically validated under DGCL Section 204(f);
WHEREAS, the Board deems it advisable and in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders to ratify and validate the Second A&R Charter, and, by operation of DGCL Section 204(f), each subsequent act taken in reliance thereon;
WHEREAS, the Board desires to authorize and instruct the Company’s management to deliver to the Company’s stockholders, by means of a Current Report on Form 8-K filed pursuant to DGCL Section 204(g), notice of the corrective action described herein in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B (the “Stockholder Notice”);
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT
RESOLVED, that the Board hereby determines that the Defective Corporate Act occurred on or about March 14, 2023 and is subject to ratification pursuant to DGCL Section 204;
RESOLVED FURTHER, that, pursuant to DGCL Section 204(b)(1), the Second A&R Charter is hereby ratified, approved, validated, and confirmed in all respects, effective as of March 14, 2023 (the “Validation Effective Time”);
RESOLVED FURTHER, that, pursuant to DGCL Section 204(f), every corporate action taken by or on behalf of the Company from and after the Validation Effective Time in reliance on the Second A&R Charter, including, without limitation, the issuance of shares of Class C Common Stock, is, and upon the Validation Effective Time shall remain, valid and effective in all respects;
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RESOLVED FURTHER, that the officers of the Company be, and each of them hereby is, authorized and directed, in the name and on behalf of the Company, to prepare, execute and file with the Delaware Secretary of State a Certificate of Validation pursuant to DGCL Section 204 in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit C (with such changes as the officer executing the same shall approve, such approval to be conclusively evidenced by such execution and filing);
RESOLVED FURTHER, that the officers of the Company be, and each of them hereby is, authorized and directed, within the time prescribed by DGCL Section 204(g), to give the required stockholder notice of the ratification and filing of the Certificate of Validation, which notice shall be effected by preparing, executing and filing on behalf of the Company a Current Report on Form 8-K with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Certificate of Validation as an exhibit, which Form 8-K shall constitute and satisfy the notice required by DGCL Section 204(g); and
RESOLVED FURTHER, that the Stockholder Notice is hereby approved in all material respects, and management is instructed to deliver such Stockholder Notice, together with a copy of these resolutions and any other documents required under DGCL Section 204, to all current stockholders of the Company and to those who were stockholders at the time of the Defective Corporate Act; the Stockholder Notice shall be provided by inclusion in the Form 8-K referenced above, which shall constitute notice for purposes of DGCL Section 204(g).
General Authority
RESOLVED, that any specific resolutions that may be required to have been adopted by the Board in connection with the actions contemplated by the foregoing resolutions be, and the same hereby are, adopted, and that each appropriate officer of the Company be, and hereby is, authorized in the name and on behalf of the Company to certify as to the adoption of any and all such resolutions;
RESOLVED FURTHER, that the officers of the Company be, and each of them hereby is, authorized and directed, in the name and on behalf of the Company, to execute and deliver, or to cause to be executed and delivered, all such other agreements, instruments, certificates and documents, to do or cause to be done all such further acts and things, and to pay or cause to be paid all necessary fees and expenses (including, without limitation, legal, financial advisory and auditors’ fees and expenses), as they or any of them may deem necessary or advisable to effectuate the purpose and intent of the foregoing resolutions, such approval to be conclusively evidenced by the taking of any such action or the execution and delivery of any such instrument by such officer; and
RESOLVED FURTHER, that any and all action heretofore taken by any director, officer, employee or agent of the Company, on or prior to the date of the adoption of the foregoing resolutions, in connection with the documents and actions referred to or contemplated by the foregoing resolutions are hereby ratified, approved and confirmed as acts on behalf of the Company.
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§ 204. Ratification of defective corporate acts and stock
[For application of this section, see 80 Del. Laws, c. 40, § 16, and 81 Del. Laws, c. 354, § 16].
(a) Subject to subsection (f) of this section, no defective corporate act or putative stock shall be void or voidable solely as a result of a failure of authorization if ratified as provided in this section or validated by the Court of Chancery in a proceeding brought under § 205 of this title.
(b) (1) In order to ratify 1 or more defective corporate acts pursuant to this section (other than the ratification of an election of the initial board of directors pursuant to paragraph (b)(2) of this section), the board of directors of the corporation shall adopt resolutions stating:
(A) The defective corporate act or acts to be ratified;
(B) The date of each defective corporate act or acts;
(C) If such defective corporate act or acts involved the issuance of shares of putative stock, the number and type of shares of putative stock issued and the date or dates upon which such putative shares were purported to have been issued;
(D) The nature of the failure of authorization in respect of each defective corporate act to be ratified; and
(E) That the board of directors approves the ratification of the defective corporate act or acts.
Such resolutions may also provide that, at any time before the validation effective time in respect of any defective corporate act set forth therein, notwithstanding the approval of the ratification of such defective corporate act by stockholders, the board of directors may abandon the ratification of such defective corporate act without further action of the stockholders. The quorum and voting requirements applicable to the ratification by the board of directors of any defective corporate act shall be the quorum and voting requirements applicable to the type of defective corporate act proposed to be ratified at the time the board adopts the resolutions ratifying the defective corporate act; provided that if the certificate of incorporation or bylaws of the corporation, any plan or agreement to which the corporation was a party or any provision of this title, in each case as in effect as of the time of the defective corporate act, would have required a larger number or portion of directors or of specified directors for a quorum to be present or to approve the defective corporate act, such larger number or portion of such directors or such specified directors shall be required for a quorum to be present or to adopt the resolutions to ratify the defective corporate act, as applicable, except that the presence or approval of any director elected, appointed or nominated by holders of any class or series of which no shares are then outstanding, or by any person that is no longer a stockholder, shall not be required.
(2) In order to ratify a defective corporate act in respect of the election of the initial board of directors of the corporation pursuant to § 108 of this title, a majority of the persons who, at the time the resolutions required by this paragraph (b)(2) of this section are adopted, are exercising the powers of directors under claim and color of an election or appointment as such may adopt resolutions stating:
(A) The name of the person or persons who first took action in the name of the corporation as the initial board of directors of the corporation;
(B) The earlier of the date on which such persons first took such action or were purported to have been elected as the initial board of directors; and
(C) That the ratification of the election of such person or persons as the initial board of directors is approved.
(c) Each defective corporate act ratified pursuant to paragraph (b)(1) of this section shall be submitted to stockholders for approval as provided in subsection (d) of this section, unless:
(1) (A) No other provision of this title, and no provision of the certificate of incorporation or bylaws of the corporation, or of any plan or agreement to which the corporation is a party, would have required stockholder approval of such defective corporate act to be ratified, either at the time of such defective corporate act or at the time the board of directors adopts the resolutions ratifying such defective corporate act pursuant to paragraph (b)(1) of this section; and
(B) Such defective corporate act did not result from a failure to comply with § 203 of this title; or
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(2) As of the adoption of the resolutions of the board of directors adopted pursuant to paragraph (b)(1) of this section, there are no shares of valid stock outstanding and entitled to vote thereon, regardless of whether there then exist any shares of putative stock.
(d) (1) If the ratification of a defective corporate act is required to be submitted to stockholders for approval pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, due notice of the time, place, if any, and purpose of the meeting shall be given at least 20 days before the date of the meeting to each holder of valid stock and putative stock, whether voting or nonvoting, at the address of such holder as it appears or most recently appeared, as appropriate, on the records of the corporation.
(2) The notice shall also be given to the holders of record of valid stock and putative stock, whether voting or nonvoting, as of the time of the defective corporate act (or, in the case of any defective corporate act that involved the establishment of a record date for notice of or voting at any meeting of stockholders, for action by written consent of stockholders in lieu of a meeting, or for any other purpose, the record date for notice of or voting at such meeting, the record date for action by written consent, or the record date for such other action, as the case may be), other than holders whose identities or addresses cannot be determined from the records of the corporation.
(3) The notice shall contain a copy of the resolutions adopted by the board of directors pursuant to paragraph (b)(1) of this section or the information required by paragraphs (b)(1)(A) through (E) of this section and a statement that any claim that the defective corporate act or putative stock ratified hereunder is void or voidable due to the failure of authorization, or that the Court of Chancery should declare in its discretion that a ratification in accordance with this section not be effective or be effective only on certain conditions must be brought within 120 days from the applicable validation effective time.
(4) At such meeting, the quorum and voting requirements applicable to ratification of such defective corporate act shall be the quorum and voting requirements applicable to the type of defective corporate act proposed to be ratified at the time of the approval of the ratification, except that:
a. If the certificate of incorporation or bylaws of the corporation, any plan or agreement to which the corporation was a party or any provision of this title in effect as of the time of the defective corporate act would have required a larger number or portion of stock or of any class or series thereof or of specified stockholders for a quorum to be present or to approve the defective corporate act, the presence or approval of such larger number or portion of stock or of such class or series thereof or of such specified stockholders shall be required for a quorum to be present or to approve the ratification of the defective corporate act, as applicable, except that the presence or approval of shares of any class or series of which no shares are then outstanding, or of any person that is no longer a stockholder, shall not be required;
b. The approval by stockholders of the ratification of the election of a director shall require the affirmative vote of the majority of shares present at the meeting and entitled to vote on the election of such director, except that if the certificate of incorporation or bylaws of the corporation then in effect or in effect at the time of the defective election require or required a larger number or portion of stock or of any class or series thereof or of specified stockholders to elect such director, the affirmative vote of such larger number or portion of stock or of any class or series thereof or of such specified stockholders shall be required to ratify the election of such director, except that the presence or approval of shares of any class or series of which no shares are then outstanding, or of any person that is no longer a stockholder, shall not be required; and
c. In the event of a failure of authorization resulting from failure to comply with the provisions of § 203 of this title, the ratification of the defective corporate act shall require the vote set forth in § 203(a)(3) of this title, regardless of whether such vote would have otherwise been required.
(5) Shares of putative stock as of the adoption by the board of directors of resolutions pursuant to paragraph (b)(1) of this section (and without giving effect to any ratification that becomes effective after such adoption) shall neither be entitled to vote nor counted for quorum purposes in any vote to ratify any defective corporate act.
(e) (1) If a defective corporate act ratified pursuant to this section would have required under any other section of this title the filing of a certificate in accordance with § 103 of this title, and either (i) such certificate requires any change to give effect to the defective corporate act in accordance with this section (including a change to the date and time of the effectiveness of such certificate) or (ii) a certificate was not previously filed under § 103 of this title in respect of the defective corporate act, then, in lieu of filing the certificate otherwise required by this title, the corporation shall file a certificate of validation with respect to such defective corporate act in accordance with § 103 of this title.
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(2) A separate certificate of validation shall be required for each defective corporate act requiring the filing of a certificate of validation under this section, except that (i) 2 or more defective corporate acts may be included in a single certificate of validation if the corporation filed, or to comply with this title would have filed, a single certificate under another provision of this title to effect such acts, and (ii) 2 or more overissues of shares of any class, classes or series of stock may be included in a single certificate of validation, provided that the increase in the number of authorized shares of each such class or series set forth in the certificate of validation shall be effective as of the date of the first such overissue.
(3) The certificate of validation shall set forth:
a. That the corporation has ratified 1 or more defective corporate acts that would have required the filing of a certificate under § 103 of this title;
b. That each such defective corporate act has been ratified in accordance with this section; and
c. The information required by 1 of the following paragraphs:
1. If a certificate was previously filed under § 103 of this title in respect of the defective corporate act and such certificate requires any change to give effect to the defective corporate act in accordance with this section (including a change to the date and time of the effectiveness of such certificate), the certificate of validation shall set forth:
A. The name, title and filing date of the certificate so previously filed and of any certificate of correction thereto;
B. A statement that a certificate containing all of the information required to be included under the applicable section or sections of this title to give effect to the defective corporate act is attached as an exhibit to the certificate of validation; and
C. The date and time that such certificate shall be deemed to have become effective pursuant to this section; or
2. If a certificate was not previously filed under § 103 of this title in respect of the defective corporate act and the defective corporate act ratified pursuant to this section would have required under any other section of this title the filing of a certificate in accordance with § 103 of this title, the certificate of validation shall set forth:
A. A statement that a certificate containing all of the information required to be included under the applicable section or sections of this title to give effect to the defective corporate act is attached as an exhibit to the certificate of validation, and
B. The date and time that such certificate shall be deemed to have become effective pursuant to this section.
(4) A certificate attached to a certificate of validation need not be separately executed and acknowledged and need not include any statement required by any other section of this title that such instrument has been approved and adopted in accordance with the provisions of such other section.
(f) From and after the validation effective time, unless otherwise determined in an action brought pursuant to § 205 of this title:
(1) Subject to the last sentence of subsection (d) of this section, each defective corporate act ratified in accordance with this section shall no longer be deemed void or voidable as a result of the failure of authorization described in the resolutions adopted pursuant to subsection (b) of this section and such effect shall be retroactive to the time of the defective corporate act; and
(2) Subject to the last sentence of subsection (d) of this section, each share or fraction of a share of putative stock issued or purportedly issued pursuant to any such defective corporate act shall no longer be deemed void or voidable and shall be deemed to be an identical share or fraction of a share of outstanding stock as of the time it was purportedly issued.
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(g) In respect of each defective corporate act ratified by the board of directors pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, prompt notice of the ratification shall be given to all holders of valid stock and putative stock, whether voting or nonvoting, as of the date the board of directors adopts the resolutions approving such defective corporate act, or as of a date within 60 days after such date of adoption, as established by the board of directors, at the address of such holder as it appears or most recently appeared, as appropriate, on the records of the corporation. The notice shall also be given to the holders of record of valid stock and putative stock, whether voting or nonvoting, as of the time of the defective corporate act, other than holders whose identities or addresses cannot be determined from the records of the corporation. The notice shall contain a copy of the resolutions adopted pursuant to subsection (b) of this section or the information specified in paragraphs (b)(1)(A) through (E) or paragraphs (b)(2)(A) through (C) of this section, as applicable, and a statement that any claim that the defective corporate act or putative stock ratified hereunder is void or voidable due to the failure of authorization, or that the Court of Chancery should declare in its discretion that a ratification in accordance with this section not be effective or be effective only on certain conditions must be brought within 120 days from the later of the validation effective time or the time at which the notice required by this subsection is given. Notwithstanding the foregoing, (i) no such notice shall be required if notice of the ratification of the defective corporate act is to be given in accordance with subsection (d) of this section, and (ii) in the case of a corporation that has a class of stock listed on a national securities exchange, the notice required by this subsection and subsection (d) of this section may be deemed given if disclosed in a document publicly filed by the corporation with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to § 13, § 14 or § 15(d) (15 U.S.C. § 78m, § 77n or § 78o(d)) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, or the corresponding provisions of any subsequent United States federal securities laws, rules or regulations. If any defective corporate act has been approved by stockholders acting pursuant to § 228 of this title, the notice required by this subsection may be included in any notice required to be given pursuant to § 228(e) of this title and, if so given, shall be sent to the stockholders entitled thereto under § 228(e) and to all holders of valid and putative stock to whom notice would be required under this subsection if the defective corporate act had been approved at a meeting and the record date for determining the stockholders entitled to notice of such meeting had been the date for determining the stockholders entitled to notice under the first sentence of this subsection other than any stockholder who approved the action by consent in lieu of a meeting pursuant to § 228 of this title or any holder of putative stock who otherwise consented thereto in writing. Solely for purposes of subsection (d) of this section and this subsection, notice to holders of putative stock, and notice to holders of valid stock and putative stock as of the time of the defective corporate act, shall be treated as notice to holders of valid stock for purposes of §§ 222 and 228, 229, 230, 232 and 233 of this title.
(h) As used in this section and in § 205 of this title only, the term:
(1) “Defective corporate act” means an overissue, an election or appointment of directors that is void or voidable due to a failure of authorization, or any act or transaction purportedly taken by or on behalf of the corporation that is, and at the time such act or transaction was purportedly taken would have been, within the power of a corporation under subchapter II of this chapter (without regard to the failure of authorization identified in § 204(b)(1)(D) of this title), but is void or voidable due to a failure of authorization;
(2) “Failure of authorization” means: (i) the failure to authorize or effect an act or transaction in compliance with (A) the provisions of this title, (B) the certificate of incorporation or bylaws of the corporation, or (C) any plan or agreement to which the corporation is a party or the disclosure set forth in any proxy or consent solicitation statement, if and to the extent such failure would render such act or transaction void or voidable; or (ii) the failure of the board of directors or any officer of the corporation to authorize or approve any act or transaction taken by or on behalf of the corporation that would have required for its due authorization the approval of the board of directors or such officer;
(3) “Overissue” means the purported issuance of:
a. Shares of capital stock of a class or series in excess of the number of shares of such class or series the corporation has the power to issue under § 161 of this title at the time of such issuance; or
b. Shares of any class or series of capital stock that is not then authorized for issuance by the certificate of incorporation of the corporation;
(4) “Putative stock” means the shares of any class or series of capital stock of the corporation (including shares issued upon exercise of options, rights, warrants or other securities convertible into shares of capital stock of the corporation, or interests with respect thereto that were created or issued pursuant to a defective corporate act) that:
a. But for any failure of authorization, would constitute valid stock; or
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b. Cannot be determined by the board of directors to be valid stock;
(5) “Time of the defective corporate act” means the date and time the defective corporate act was purported to have been taken;
(6) “Validation effective time,” with respect to any defective corporate act ratified pursuant to this section, means the latest of:
a. The time at which the defective corporate act submitted to the stockholders for approval pursuant to subsection (c) of this section is approved by such stockholders or if no such vote of stockholders is required to approve the ratification of the defective corporate act, immediately following the time at which the board of directors adopts the resolutions required by paragraph (b)(1) or (b)(2) of this section;
b. Where no certificate of validation is required to be filed pursuant to subsection (e) of this section, the time, if any, specified by the board of directors in the resolutions adopted pursuant to paragraph (b)(1) or (b)(2) of this section, which time shall not precede the time at which such resolutions are adopted; and
c. The time at which any certificate of validation filed pursuant to subsection (e) of this section shall become effective in accordance with § 103 of this title.
(7) “Valid stock” means the shares of any class or series of capital stock of the corporation that have been duly authorized and validly issued in accordance with this title.
In the absence of actual fraud in the transaction, the judgment of the board of directors that shares of stock are valid stock or putative stock shall be conclusive, unless otherwise determined by the Court of Chancery in a proceeding brought pursuant to § 205 of this title.
(i) Ratification under this section or validation under § 205 of this title shall not be deemed to be the exclusive means of ratifying or validating any act or transaction taken by or on behalf of the corporation, including any defective corporate act, or any issuance of stock, including any putative stock, or of adopting or endorsing any act or transaction taken by or in the name of the corporation prior to the commencement of its existence, and the absence or failure of ratification in accordance with either this section or validation under § 205 of this title shall not, of itself, affect the validity or effectiveness of any act or transaction or the issuance of any stock properly ratified under common law or otherwise, nor shall it create a presumption that any such act or transaction is or was a defective corporate act or that such stock is void or voidable.
79 Del. Laws, c. 72, § 4; 80 Del. Laws, c. 40, § 8; 81 Del. Laws, c. 354, §§ 4-8; 84 Del. Laws, c. 98, § 5;
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§ 205. Proceedings regarding validity of defective corporate acts and stock
[For application of this section, see 80 Del. Laws, c. 40, § 16].
(a) Subject to subsection (f) of this section, upon application by the corporation, any successor entity to the corporation, any member of the board of directors, any record or beneficial holder of valid stock or putative stock, any record or beneficial holder of valid or putative stock as of the time of a defective corporate act ratified pursuant to § 204 of this title, or any other person claiming to be substantially and adversely affected by a ratification pursuant to § 204 of this title, the Court of Chancery may:
(1) Determine the validity and effectiveness of any defective corporate act ratified pursuant to § 204 of this title;
(2) Determine the validity and effectiveness of the ratification of any defective corporate act pursuant to § 204 of this title;
(3) Determine the validity and effectiveness of any defective corporate act not ratified or not ratified effectively pursuant to § 204 of this title;
(4) Determine the validity of any corporate act or transaction and any stock, rights or options to acquire stock; and
(5) Modify or waive any of the procedures set forth in § 204 of this title to ratify a defective corporate act.
(b) In connection with an action under this section, the Court of Chancery may:
(1) Declare that a ratification in accordance with and pursuant to § 204 of this title is not effective or shall only be effective at a time or upon conditions established by the Court;
(2) Validate and declare effective any defective corporate act or putative stock and impose conditions upon such validation by the Court;
(3) Require measures to remedy or avoid harm to any person substantially and adversely affected by a ratification pursuant to § 204 of this title or from any order of the Court pursuant to this section, excluding any harm that would have resulted if the defective corporate act had been valid when approved or effectuated;
(4) Order the Secretary of State to accept an instrument for filing with an effective time specified by the Court, which effective time may be prior or subsequent to the time of such order, provided that the filing date of such instrument shall be determined in accordance with § 103(c)(3) of this title;
(5) Approve a stock ledger for the corporation that includes any stock ratified or validated in accordance with this section or with § 204 of this title;
(6) Declare that shares of putative stock are shares of valid stock or require a corporation to issue and deliver shares of valid stock in place of any shares of putative stock;
(7) Order that a meeting of holders of valid stock or putative stock be held and exercise the powers provided to the Court under § 227 of this title with respect to such a meeting;
(8) Declare that a defective corporate act validated by the Court shall be effective as of the time of the defective corporate act or at such other time as the Court shall determine;
(9) Declare that putative stock validated by the Court shall be deemed to be an identical share or fraction of a share of valid stock as of the time originally issued or purportedly issued or at such other time as the Court shall determine; and
(10) Make such other orders regarding such matters as it deems proper under the circumstances.
(c) Service of the application under subsection (a) of this section upon the registered agent of the corporation shall be deemed to be service upon the corporation, and no other party need be joined in order for the Court of Chancery to adjudicate the matter. In an action filed by the corporation, the Court may require notice of the action be provided to other persons specified by the Court and permit such other persons to intervene in the action.
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(d) In connection with the resolution of matters pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) of this section, the Court of Chancery may consider the following:
(1) Whether the defective corporate act was originally approved or effectuated with the belief that the approval or effectuation was in compliance with the provisions of this title, the certificate of incorporation or bylaws of the corporation;
(2) Whether the corporation and board of directors has treated the defective corporate act as a valid act or transaction and whether any person has acted in reliance on the public record that such defective corporate act was valid;
(3) Whether any person will be or was harmed by the ratification or validation of the defective corporate act, excluding any harm that would have resulted if the defective corporate act had been valid when approved or effectuated;
(4) Whether any person will be harmed by the failure to ratify or validate the defective corporate act; and
(5) Any other factors or considerations the Court deems just and equitable.
(e) The Court of Chancery is hereby vested with exclusive jurisdiction to hear and determine all actions brought under this section.
(f) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, no action asserting:
(1) That a defective corporate act or putative stock ratified in accordance with § 204 of this title is void or voidable due to a failure of authorization identified in the resolution adopted in accordance with 204(b) of this title; or
(2) That the Court of Chancery should declare in its discretion that a ratification in accordance with § 204 of this title not be effective or be effective only on certain conditions,
may be brought after the expiration of 120 days from the later of the validation effective time and the time notice, if any, that is required to be given pursuant to § 204(g) of this title is given with respect to such ratification, except that this subsection shall not apply to an action asserting that a ratification was not accomplished in accordance with § 204 of this title or to any person to whom notice of the ratification was required to have been given pursuant to § 204(d) or (g) of this title, but to whom such notice was not given.
79 Del. Laws, c. 72, § 5; 80 Del. Laws, c. 40, § 9;
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